Snapshots on Human Nature
by ACE329
Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.
1. Greed

Snapshots on Human Nature

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I do NOT NOT NOT own Yu-gi-oh! ©

Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.

Author's Note: I've been thinking about this idea for a while. I already have it determined who will be what, but if you want to see a certain character under the influence of a particular sin, let me know and I'll see what I can do ;)

Temptation 1: Greed- Seto Kaiba

It's a rich man's world.

At least, that's what they say.

Better yet, that's what _I_ say.

If you want anything in life, the only way to get it is through waving a few wads of cash in the air.

Humans are selfish creatures. Once you look past the lies and recognize that money can persuade a person to do _anything_, only then will you be able to move up in the world.

Just name your price.

My brother is young and can't seem to understand this. Don't all children come into the world uncorrupted, untainted by the harsh reality we live in?

But I will make him _see_.

Last night, I was walking downtown with Mokuba. I had wanted to witness and observe- with my very own eyes- the success my newest dueling tournament was thriving in.

Even in the latest hours of the night, duelists perused up and down the streets frenziedly, looking for their next victim…or would they in turn become one as well?

Lights were flashing and music was blaring from seemingly everywhere, which sounded more like noise to me when mixed in with the excitable babble of the restless.

I could hear vendors advertising their products. I could hear bouncers arguing with rowdy- and undoubtedly inebriated- people. I could hear duelists' cries of victory and of defeat.

I could hear the laments of the poor.

Beggars thrive in the most convoluted and populated areas. My dueling tournament- which had gathered a few thousand extra people to this downtown location- was the perfect place for them to park themselves, _unwanted_, on my streets and plead for money.

It makes me sick.

I don't believe in charity.

It's all about Darwinism- survival of the fittest. Or, in this day and age, survival of the wisest. Most competent. Wealthiest.

So, upon passing an aged woman with a child by her side, when Mokuba had discreetly dropped a small amount of yen into her bag, I was furious.

"Have I taught you nothing?" I had hissed at my little brother as I ushered him away, "Beggars get nowhere with money."

But Mokuba stared up at me with his dark eyes, unflinchingly, as he said, "There's no way you could possibly know that. That lady had a kid with her-"

"It's a prop," I interrupted, brushing him off, "People do that all the time, dragging brats around to bring out the pity party. You shouldn't have wasted your money."

"I still don't regret it," Mokuba said stubbornly as he looked away.

I icily stared down at my little brother, my alleged protégé.

"Have you listened to one-too-many of the cheerleader's speeches on friendship and goodness? It's all verbal garbage."

"You mean Anzu? No. I think you're just overreacting-"

"And that's how you survive in this world, Mokuba," I snapped. "If you allow pathetic cases such as these nickel and dime your bleeding heart, you'll end up with no money. And then you'll be just like them."

"…Money isn't everything, Seto," Mokuba finally whispered, almost inaudibly.

I made a sound of disgust as we continued to roam the streets in a dead silence, for the rest of the time. I didn't talk to Mokuba, nor did he want to talk to me.

I didn't care.

I'm now sitting behind my giant mahogany desk in my grandiose office, polished to perfection. Crystalline lamps sparkle dimly from the faint glow of the light radiating beneath them, casting long shadows on my marble floor. Innumerable papers are scattered on my desk, mostly regarding contracts, bills and various other financial statements.

From the mail I had received today, the only envelopes that are in the trash are charity pleas, unopened.

Hm. With the sudden downturn in the economy, I had been getting a lot of those recently.

I am tempted to mail these organizations back. And on the inside of my letter, I'll be sure to write, "Stop wasting your time. You might have better luck looking for loose change in the seat of the couch you're probably lounging on, or in a gutter."

But I wouldn't want to waste a perfectly good envelope.

An annoying fly is corrupting the silence in my office. Without an apparent sense of direction, it buzzes by, back and forth, vacillating between corners of the room.

I stare at the disgusting creature warily.

The fly makes the mistake of coming near me.

Within a split second, my hand lashes out, brutally smacking the vile insect to the ground.

I no longer hear the buzzing.

I turn back to my work, basking under the glow of my computer screen.

Somewhere on the floor, a fly give its final twitch, dead.


	2. Gluttony

Snapshots on Human Nature

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I do NOT NOT NOT own Yu-gi-oh! ©

Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.

A/N: Understand that with every sin I attempt to portray, I try to justify the character's actions…no matter how ridiculous they are. This one's pretty abstract!

Temptation 2: Gluttony- Ryou Bakura

It was a foreshadowing when, in the book of Genesis, Eve could not resist the forbidden fruit.

Humans desire what they cannot have.

And there are many things that I lack. I do not have any real friends. I have no family, and arguably no future.

Right now that doesn't matter.

What I want, what I lust after incessantly, is _control_.

What can I do next? When is the next time I will be able to act on my own free will?

I don't know.

There is an insatiable thirst burning within me, just to be able to have a say in my own life.

I am a prisoner in my own body, a slave to someone else's own will.

I bow down to the ancient Sennen ring that encircles my neck like the chains that confine a criminal.

The spirit, who uninvitingly resides in my body, is merciless.

I am nothing to him. Ryou Bakura is not a person- rather, a thing. A vessel, a tool.

He does not care whether or not he butchers my life into millions of little pieces.

I am the ground he walks on, the dust beneath his feet.

Today I woke up with the sound of wind howling in my face. It was bitingly cold, engulfing me in numbness.

As usual, I had no idea where I was. As far as I could tell, I was outside, on the roof of a tower.

Crawling on my raw hands and knees, I had to peer over the building to have an idea where I was at.

A stray pebble slid off the roof and into the unforeseeable abyss below, falling continually towards the ends of the earth.

I had to have been at least ten stories suspended in the air.

I stared blankly at the rock while it sped ever downward, vaguely remembering that my yami had lost a duel in one of Kaiba's insane tournaments.

It was too bad that duel was a Shadow game. My body was clearly the easily discarded sacrifice.

I'm assuming all the wrongs had finally been righted in the competition though, for there I was, back with the living.

But I didn't feel alive. No, I never did.

I woke up feeling _empty_.

For the time being, my yami's soul was absent- undoubtedly trying to find a way to worm his way back into my life again.

More than that though, I awakened feeling vacant- body, mind and soul.

And so, reasonably enough, I wanted to _fill up_…I didn't care how, I just wanted to feel _something_.

Anything.

I shakily rose from the crumbling roof, allowing my legs to adjust, for they hadn't been in use for quite a while. They ached as I wobbled to the descending staircase nearby.

I climbed down those steps and into the nearest hallway with a sense of purpose.

I roamed and scrounged the premises until I found what I had been seeking.

It was a small room, like a storage room or pantry. And inside were boxes of food. This must had been where the chefs kept their food supply.

There was everything I had hoped for and much more inside this room. It would be perfect.

I plopped down in the center of the room, sprawling my sore legs out in front of me.

I grasped the box nearest to me, drawing it in close. I peered inside. The contents consisted of mostly bread, just plain old white bread, but I didn't care.

With a lack of grace I ripped open a bag, letting access pieces of bread tumble to the floor.

Soon my greedy fingers clasped onto several slices as I unceremoniously started cramming them into my mouth.

I barely allowed myself a chance to breathe, for half-consumed morsels were being dumped down my throat.

Seeing a crate packed with fruit, I dropped my partially consumed bread and began grabbing away, taking what was not mine.

There were berries of all kinds, grapes, bananas, apples…I planned to devour every variety that was at my disposal.

I opted for the berries first, seduced by their fragrant summery scent.

Fragile berries exploded under my eager grasp, sluggishly oozing its sweet juices down my hands, my wrists.

My fingers were soon dyed from the syrupy substance, being marked with summer's blood on my hands.

My lips were stained a murky bluish-purple, like a bruise.

My eyes greedily discovered a fridge, likely containing more sustenance to stuff inside my already protesting body.

I turned a deaf ear to my stomach's rebellious cries for mercy. Louder than those protests was my heart, desperately screaming, '_Fill me up fill me up fill me up_.'

I brought a jug of grape juice to my tainted lips.

Tilting my head back, I let the liquid sugar cascade down my throat, with excess juice trickling down the corners of my ravenous mouth.

I feasted on every scrap my hands could reach until I felt my stomach threatening to purge itself.

I suppressed this urge as a pleased smile spread over my lips, as slow and sure as dripping molasses.

This feeling, this sense of being full, was my high, my sweet release.

The rush I got, for being able to _feel_ something, was my one and only connection to the world.

I _am_ human.

My body can fill up with my sense of forbidden fruit, and it is still capable of hurt.

Finally my stomach won its revolt as I instinctively sat up, reached for the nearest box, and heaved into it. All the food I had deposited into myself was being forced back out, leaving me feeling exhausted and drained.

Done with my business, I collapsed back on the floor, depleted.

I closed my eyes, listening to my ragged breathing and groaning stomach.

A sickly smile was still plastered on my face.

Brushing away the bangs that clung to my sweat-soaked forehead, I forced myself to reach for a blood red apple.

Inexplicably, staring at the soon-to-be-devoured fruit in my pale hand, I began to laugh at myself.

It was a humorless laugh, a ghost of a laugh, but perhaps it reverberated with a touch of insanity as I realized how hauntingly similar it sounded to my yami's.

My frail body shook with frantic laughter, growing in volume until it resounded off the bare walls of the abandoned room.

Would anybody hear me?

Did I even care?

I could see my contorted reflection in the apple, the fruit of Eden.

My eyes looked cold. Within those muddy pools that I scarcely believed were my own eyes, secretly, they begged for help.

For salvation.

My sorry image dissolved when raindrops of guilty tears fell from my cloudy eyes, privately knowing that no, Ryou Bakura does not have control.

And so I continued to eat.


	3. Envy

Snapshots on Human Nature

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I do NOT NOT NOT own Yu-gi-oh! ©

Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.

Temptation 3: Envy- Yuugi Mutou

Good job, mou hitori no boku.

You've done it again.

Like the idolized hero that you are, you have saved everyone from evil's grasp, including myself.

I know I should be happy for you- you are one step closer to finding your lost identity. Defeating Malik entitled you to his most treasured Sennen Rod, and on top of that, you have acquired all three God cards.

Everyone praises you, everyone admires your strength, and everyone _adores_ your undying will to act as our savior.

But here's the truth- I am _not_ happy for you.

I can't be.

Mou hitori no boku, our happiness is not one in the same.

It's like an hourglass- as one side receives more grains of sand, the other side is being robbed from them.

It isn't fair, how you always come through victorious, taking pride, glory and honor for your own.

And what does that leave me?

Nothing.

The second danger strikes, you unhesitatingly assume control over my body, as if I have absolutely no chance of protecting myself.

I don't need saving.

I don't want you to.

Do you have any idea how degrading, how _humiliating_, it was when Malik had me confined by chains, completely helpless in the Shadow Realm?

You _had_ to save me.

You were _so_ worried.

"Aibou, I'll make this right again. I'll win this. I promise," you had reassured me as you stared into my eyes with utmost determination. So badly you wanted me safe and sound in the depths of my mind, out of harm's way.

But you know, being a passive soul in my own mind is no different than being bound up as a prisoner of the Shadow Realm.

You call us partners.

I couldn't disagree more.

You see, where is my help needed? What use am I to you? Am I simply to step aside, let you do all the dirty work, while encouraging you to succeed in my place? _You can do it, mou hitori no boku! I believe in you! Trust the heart of the cards!_

Being a cheerleader doesn't count.

They say life's a stage.

And I should be the protagonist, the main character, to my own life.

But you stole my spotlight.

You even got the girl.

Did you know that Anzu sees us as two sides of the same coin?

The one that represents courage, confidence, chivalry…that's your side.

The one that signifies naivety, insecurity, incompetence…that's mine.

Do you have any idea how that feels? I've had feelings for Anzu since the day I met her.

And you took her from me.

Of course, you didn't actually steal her away- you would never do that to your "aibou"- your simple existence was enough to turn her head.

But I'm not hung over a silly high school crush.

I feel frustrated, cheated, that you deprived me of _my_ life.

Some would say that I'm jealous.

Timid high school boy is outshined by a god.

Understand though, mou hitori no boku, that my grievance against you is something deeper than the green-eyed monster we call jealousy.

I may not know the problem, but I definitely know the cure.

If I could just see you knocked down a few pegs from your ever-surmounting glory, perhaps my spiteful thoughts will subside.

Prove to me that even _you_ were once human.

But that's never going to happen, is it? You will forever ascend the stairs of triumph, using me as your platform.

And so, in knowing that nothing I might do or say will bring you down, I will simply smile a mannequin's smile and continue to cheer you on with the rest of the world.

Of course, I never said I wouldn't secretly be hoping for you to fall.


	4. Lust

Snapshots on Human Nature

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I do NOT NOT NOT own Yu-gi-oh! ©

Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.

Temptation 4:  Lust- Anzu Mazaki

When I was a little girl, the cookie that I was not allowed to eat always tasted the sweetest.

My mom always said, "Now Anzu, just two. You'll get a stomachache."

And after my two allotted cookies, she would snatch the cookie jar away, placing it high up on an unreachable shelf.

Or so she thought.

With the agility of a cat, I was easily able to climb on counters and steal away just one more cookie.

Even though I was already full, I always had room for something that was deliciously forbidden.

It tasted so good.

But now, years later, there is something in my life that could taste so much better.

Or rather, _someone_.

Shame inflames my body like an illness, uncontrollably pumping through my veins.

My mind screams, "_It's not right it'll never work give it up_."

But if shame's an illness, then my desire is a virus.

It will destroy all sense of reason within me, and there is no known cure.

I am desperately in love with a man who should have been dead thousands of years ago.

Atem.

The lost Pharaoh who shares a body with Yuugi.

This inexplicable, aching obsession ignited the second I made the distinction that Yuugi and Atem are not one in the same.

What is it about him that makes my heart dance and my breaths shallow?

When he's there, all the air in the world can't fill my lungs. My strong dancer's legs give out on me, and my mind is suddenly swimming through thick and syrupy desire.

I become more than tongue-tied…it's more like being bound by a straightjacket and gagged by love's passion.

Cupid, that evil sprite, has not just struck me with his fateful arrow- he has stabbed me with his entire _supply_, multiple times.

There was one blissful day when Atem and I had gone on a sort of 'date.' It was just us, so a girl can only assume….

Yuugi, knowing me sometimes more than I know myself, could sense my yearning to spend alone time with his other half.

And so he graciously stepped aside, granting me my selfish wish.

I ignored the fact that in allowing him to do so, I had also stabbed him in the heart.

Reality was the knife.

I will be the first to admit that lust had cast a film over my eyes, blinding me from the damage I was inflicting.

However.

The second I gazed the Pharaoh in his liquid garnet eyes, I melted like chocolate in a blazing summer heat, taking my rational mind with me.

I could describe his burning orbs in a thousand other ways, but I failed to comprehend that they were also the color of a blaring stoplight. An untouchable fire.

Danger.

But by the time my 'date' with Atem had come to an end, it was too late for me to consider this.

I was already charmed, enchanted, soon to head down an arduous and excruciating path of hurt.

It's called 'unrequited love.'

If there is one thing that can't sink into my head, it's this- Atem did not linger in this world to fall in love. He has a mission to fulfill, and he will heed to nothing to obtain his goal.

_If_ he had a lover, her name would be Lady Luck.

He is infatuated with the nature of gaming. To place a bet, make a gamble, raise the stakes…that's his high. He gets a thrill, even when the tide turns against his favor.

I can see it blazing in his eyes.

I will never be able to live up to that.

Realizing this, then why does it feel like the wind is being knocked out of me whenever I look at him?

Because he is the 'cookie' that I am forbidden to have.

In actuality, I don't know Atem all that well.

He has hidden himself, thrust up a barrier, to keep people from coming too close. I wonder if Yuugi has ever gotten through.

But I know I will not.

Perhaps Atem does this, distancing himself, because he knows that eventually, he will have to leave again.

But lust is blind to reality.

My yearning for Atem's affection is not like a fire, though…it's more like being submerged in dry ice.

My heart is left, burning and throbbing, but ultimately, I remain freezing from love's cold shoulder.

Did I ever mention what happened after I snatched that third cookie?

I writhed on the barren kitchen floor, feeling miserably and utterly sick.


	5. Wrath

Snapshots on Human Nature

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I do NOT NOT NOT own Yu-gi-oh! ©

Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.

A/N: Pardon Malik's language! He just needs some anger management classes…

**Thanks** to all my readers/ reviewers, and those who have favorited my story!

Temptation 5: Wrath- Malik Ishtar

I am not an avid learner.

Discovering new things annoy me because it proves my ignorance.

However, there are, of course, exceptions to everything- if the knowledge applies to me or I can benefit from it, then I will make a point to remember.

Isis calls it "selective listening."

I call it "practical learning."

For instance, I remember a simple quote from the _Bhagwad Gita_- Hindu scripture- stating, "When a man gets angry he falls down."

This sticks with me because I couldn't agree _less_.

Isis claims it's disrespectful to contradict any religious text but clearly, the ancient words that glare off the pages are _bullshit_.

On the contrary, I think anger is a beautiful thing.

It doesn't cause men to fall- rather, it brings them to their feet.

The insatiable burn of rage transforms mice into men, opens their eyes and grants them the courage to draw their guns.

_Bang_.

The greatest conflicts in history emerged from the wrath of men, undoubtedly aroused due to deprived justice.

The Persian Wars, the French Revolutionary Wars, even the more modern World Wars…in one way or another, the rights of man had been violated, resulting in the shedding of blood.

And it would not have been possible if vengeful rage did not exist.

But I'm not here to give a history lesson.

I'm here to reveal _my_ version of a revolution.

The Ishtars have been bestowed the responsibility of passing down the "lost Pharaoh's" secret, from generation to generation.

Foolish Isis calls it an honor.

I call it a curse.

My entire bloodline had to carry a very heavy burden on their shoulders, from the beginning of our existence.

All females are given the ability to foresee events…like a third eye.

It is not a glamorous ability.

To be able to see _anything_, from the brutal murder of a friend to the rape of a little girl- it's maddening.

Upon being granted the abilities of her Sennen Tauk, Isis nearly went insane.

Once allowed access to a sacred item, you are not permitted to part with it.

So for the majority of my sister's life, she had to endure witnessing hundreds of excruciating visions a day.

Too bad there isn't an "off" switch.

But no, Isis must carry this burden, this mountain of a plague, all for the sake of one person.

People look at my sister and wonder, "What's wrong with her? Her eyes are completely blank. Is she even capable of emotion?"

I hear them whispering this in the streets, like the fleeting rush of the wind. It happens every time my sister and I take a break from reality and wander outside of our desolate 'home.'

Bastards- I hate them all.

Their words do ring true, though- rarely does anything faze Isis because, believe me when I say she has seen _everything_.

We don't go out very often.

Now, as for the males of the Ishtar family, we must be branded with all of the Pharaoh's secrets. There is no way around this painful, unbearable procedure.

Like cattle being ushered to a slaughterhouse.

This process isn't like taking a trip to a tattoo parlor.

It's more of a masochist's dream…my back becomes a tombstone, and engravings must be _carved_ into it.

It happened when I was a boy.

An unsuspecting, trusting _child_.

I forever remember the day my father bound me up and slashed into my skin with a heated blade. My own flesh and blood was more than willing to permanently scar me…and for what?

An insignificant Pharaoh with a case of amnesia.

If I had to choose between getting 'branded' again and having my body doused with alcohol while being thrown into a raging fire, I would happily choose the latter.

Words are not powerful enough to describe the unspeakable pain I faced that day.

But I am never one to sit behind the scenes, patiently waiting for events to simply happen.

I _make_ them happen.

From that day forward, I chose to be the catalyst to find a solution to the madness.

So in a completely sane state of mind, I reasoned that killing my father would be the first step to end the line of Ishtars who willingly carried on the curse.

The difference between my father and I is this- although we may both be insane, he found it acceptable, _ineffable_, to allow the Ishtar family and future generations to continue our history of suffering if need be while _I _want to put a stop to it.

I _need_ to.

Aside from Rishid, Isis is the only person I will ever give a damn about.

Even though she will never admit it, she is suffering horribly from the family curse.

And when my sister is suffering, I suffer too.

I won't allow it anymore.

Do you have any idea how thrilled I was to discover the lost Pharaoh had finally resurfaced?

Now I can finally murder him and end the curse properly.

It will not be a merciful death.

I can promise him that.

I want to gather up all the pain this one person has inflicted on my family and kindly return it to him in the form of his own blood.

Because of him, every single Ishtar must waste his life, hidden from society and breathing a miserable existence underground.

Because of him, my family is more wasted away than the bastard Pharaoh's past.

Because of _him_, my life is ruined. It is now the corpse of what it could have been, as a normal teenager.

And this Pharaoh, the one my family has slaved over to protect, is only human. He is just one person, with faults and everything.

And so I will do my heritage one great honor and prove it.

I will put a stop to my world of hysteria by ceasing the Pharaoh's existence.

I don't care who I have to get through to reach this one man, but I swear to every god in existence that I will risk my life in doing so.

I want to _hurt_ him.

I want to cut him up, piece by piece, with the very blade that scarred me.

I won't stop torturing him until I hear his cries for mercy, to confirm he was never worthy to be a Pharaoh, he was never worthy to be comparable to a god.

An ancient Egyptian ruler had once said, "Indulge not thyself in the passion of anger; it is whetting a sword to wound thine own breast, or murder thy friend."

I'd like to put that theory to the test.

I say, bring it on.


	6. Sloth

Snapshots on Human Nature

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I do NOT NOT NOT own Yu-gi-oh! ©

Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.

**A/N:** At a glance, this can be taken for greed…but, don't forget to look below the surface ;)  
Oh yes, and there's a little snippet of Italian in here, and it's more likely than not wrong. To those who are fluent in Italian, do not rip my head off!  
Lastly, by definition, a ficlet is about 1000 words…this one goes over by about 700! So, sorry about that I guess?  
**Thanks** for the reviews and to those who have favorited my story!

Temptation 6:  Sloth- Mai Kujaku

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" I had once jokingly asked a friend of mine.

I mean, he _could_ have been more.

Jounouchi.

But I wouldn't let it happen.

If our relationship were a budding flower, then I was sure to stomp on it with my Prada boot.

Don't misunderstand me- my career isn't dedicated to heartbreaking. I am merely a practical woman, and recognized that it would have never worked out.

We come from two entirely different worlds, Jounouchi and I. He was raised in…well, I won't candy-coat it.

A _shithole_.

He never knew what it was like to choose between two designer brands of clothing. He never had the option of deciding which five-star restaurant he was inclined to dine at that day. He never strolled into a car dealership, thinking _what_ car he should buy as opposed to merely fantasizing.

I however, have experienced all of these things.

Here's a little secret- although my family is loaded with money, they rejected me, cutting me off from all financial ties.

Being forced to stand up on your own two feet after you have been carried all your life is hard.

But I made it work.

If I couldn't scrounge up enough cash to support my lavish lifestyle, then I would find the next _tool_ who was foolish enough to believe he could buy my love.

Some men were quicker than others, bailing out before their wallets permanently suffered the consequences.

But the others…hm, well.

Let's just say they couldn't resist the siren song of a beautiful woman.

There's only so much stupidity I could take, however- I must have gone through a man a week. Sometimes more.

Oh, really? You've fallen madly in love with me?

Get in line.

Jounouchi was the one and only exception to this rule.

Maybe it was the way he didn't shower me with attention- despite the fact that I could easily read the desire in his eyes.

Nope, prideful Jounouchi just strolled right on through, treating me more as a friend than a woman who had a man wrapped around her finger for every day of the week.

It drove me insane.

How could someone _not_ chase after me?

There was something about Jounouchi that lured me to him, although I would never admit to it out loud.

Jounouchi is tragically handsome…I can't deny him that. His well-toned body and strong build was enough to turn my head the day I first laid eyes on him.

Still, it was more than that.

The way his flaxen hair would soak in the sunlight, making it appear all the more radiant, and his eyes…

They were the color of a Starbucks honey latte- my favorite kind.

And his smile- I have never seen one so genuine, so sincere in my entire corrupted life.

Whenever he threw his unexpected grin at me, suddenly my world would flip upside-down, losing all sense. He could give me that truly alluring smile and I would know he meant it.

Mine felt so fake compared to his.

….What did he ever see in me?

And thus, the tables had turned.

Did that mean I would have to be the one to do the chasing?

Never.

Mai Kujaku never chases after any man.

It's too dangerous, too much work.

Besides, why leave my heart out in the open just so some guy can smash it?

That's _my_ job.

I do wholeheartedly recognize that I am a superficial bitch.

There was an immediate chemistry between Jounouchi and I. But I never let either of our feelings be requited…and there was only one particular reason why.

Jounouchi is not rich.

He would never be able to keep up with my lifestyle…and who would buy me my shoes? My manicures? My Estée Lauder lipsticks?

Because I am able to get away with it, I don't ever want to work for a living…let someone else do it.

Although I did say I never intended to break the hearts of countless of men, I always have the most direct of intentions when I want to pry into a full wallet.

So I guess you could call me a golddigger.

Once, an Italian billionaire literally swept me off my feet and took me to Venice. While there, he bought me a sort of 'present,' one that would 'assure' me that he only had eyes for me- a Maserati Quattroporte.

I was completely enamored…with the car.

We travelled all over Italy together, and I led him on to believe that I had true feelings for him.

I broke it off when our trip was over.

Don't get me wrong, I am entirely grateful for what he has done for me- I have learned so much while away. Being gone for literally months has transformed me into a much more cultured person, as I am now relatively fluent in Italian…but I'm not talking about that.

It was during that trip that I experienced a feeling that I'm not used to…

In the end, despite all he had given me, including his profession of love, I couldn't help but still feel empty.

You know that feeling I had mentioned that I couldn't identify before?

It's called guilt.

Once, as we sat out in his luscious vineyard garden, sipping _Dom Perignon_ by moonlight, he took me by the hands and whispered softly in my ear,

"Mai…_mi amor_…_lei mi aveva_ _a prima vista_."

A confused smile had touched my 'garnet frost'-tinted lips as I asked him to elaborate.

"You had me at a glance, my love," he explained mysteriously, finishing off his glass of champagne.

I merely laughed at this, encouraged by the alcohol, as I watched his hungry eyes feast on me. I was wearing an original Donatella Versace dress, red as sin and completed with a plunging neckline.

It was so obvious what he wanted.

I slowly wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and, setting my champagne flute aside, I laid back on the hard cold stone bench beneath me.

I let him have his way with me for the rest of the night.

I am not proud to admit such things, but secrets have a wicked way of resurfacing into the open again anyway.

My shameful past clings to me like unwanted emotional baggage.

Even the day, the very last day, that I saw Jounouchi, my history found a way of lacing into every word that lashed out from my lips.

It was that late afternoon when it became forever determined that I will _never_ refer to the only man I ever cared for as "Katsuya" instead of "Jounouchi."

We were standing before a restless ocean, waves lapping up debris and deteriorating sand castles. Undoubtedly hundreds of people had already roamed through this breathtaking fantasy world.

Jounouchi and I were just another pair of individuals, hoping for an escape.

My Maserati was left abandoned some distance away, easily forgotten.

I was trying to explain to Jounouchi why I was leaving, with zero intention of returning.

Our relationship was complicated. There weren't many times when we were left by ourselves to talk- although whenever I gazed at his warm and open face, I felt like I knew him my entire life. More than I knew my family, at least.

Regardless everything I told him, I made sure it sounded nothing like a breakup.

That would make it too similar to the instances when I would end a meaningless relationship with just another faceless guy.

"I'm leaving today," I informed Jounouchi randomly, after a few minutes of observing the roaring sea before us. My voice was placid, emotions buried beneath all my impenetrable barriers.

But silly Jounouchi, he just grinned at this, shoving his hands in his worn denim pockets and said, "Well hey, great. Any place is better than here. Let me know when you get back."

I shook my head at this. It felt like it was packed with cement.

"No, no. I mean for good. My bags are already packed in my car."

The teen who stood before me remained silent at this. I watched as his brow began to crease.

"And you're never coming back? Ever?"

"Nope." My answer was curt, straining out all the inexplicable pain surging throughout my body.

"But…Mai, what about-" he then stopped.

I knew what he was going to say.

_But Mai, what about me? _

I bit down on my lip, hard. Again I shook my head.

And damn it, why couldn't I see clearly? Distinct sand crystals meshed together into one big blob as the waves seemed to move in a drunken manner.

I couldn't let Jounouchi see me cry. I would be strong.

"Mai…" Jounouchi started, reaching out to touch my shoulder. He decided against it. He struggled to find the right words, to phrase it in the least embarrassing way possible, but finally opted to throw all caution to the wind.

"Did you…did you ever feel the same way too?"

He didn't need to say more for me to understand what he meant. It was a question that lingered on both of our minds.

There was something about the way his deep voice faltered when he asked me that question that made my heart scream in protest.

But I am forever a practical woman, as I remember silencing my unruly emotions with hard cold reason.

I closed my eyes, letting my hair be hassled by the lamenting wind.

It whispered, ever so softly, to me, "_why?_"

I focused my attention on the fickle ocean instead.

I decided I owed Jounouchi the truth.

"Jounouchi…you had me '_a prima vista_.'"

He warily paused at this, reluctantly. "What?"

A smile, a secret sort of smile, stretched on my lips.

Or not.

It is often said that one must always choose between what is right and what is easy.

And at that moment, I just wasn't ready to face the complicated enigma we call truth head-on.

Let the ocean wash away any lingering feelings I may have had for this boy.

So I turned away from this fantasy world, from Jounouchi.

"Nothing."


	7. Pride

Snapshots on Human Nature

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I do NOT NOT NOT own Yu-gi-oh! ©

Summary: Seven sins, seven individuals who are particularly predisposed to a certain one. Who is a victim to wrath? To gluttony? To lust…? Find out. Ficlets.

A/N: Surprise, surprise…the pride sin goes to Atem! In all honesty, this was _the_ hardest one for me to portray…I think I have this biased perception that Atem is a perfect character with no flaws. But deep down, we know that's not true, right? As an fyi, "pride" is considered to be the worst of the seven sins. It is actually combined with vanity, but I didn't want to take on that perspective for the character I chose.

**Important!** I wanted to clear something up about this fanfiction. The sins I had associated with the characters are _supposed_ to be obvious. I merely wanted to explain why they are that way, to justify their actions. In no way did I want to twist reality so hard that it would be difficult to understand what made sense. Actually, there was an alternative set-up for this story, one where you would have to sort of squint your eyes to understand why a certain sin is prominent in a character. So, if you are curious, here was my secondary list:  
Greed- Atem  
Gluttony- Yami no Bakura  
Envy- Anzu  
Lust- Shizuka  
Wrath- Seto  
Sloth- Yuugi  
Pride- Jounouchi

But as you can see, even this set-up still makes sense- if your thought process works similar to how mine does! Maybe if time allows, I will someday write up the alternative version…

Anyway, **a special thanks** goes out to my readers/reviewers…thank you for reading all seven stories!

Temptation 7:  Pride- Atem

Imagine having to choose your death.

Maybe you have the pleasure of choosing between drowning yourself in the Nile or letting someone else do the honors for you, but either way, you will inevitably wind up six feet under.

Or in my case, smothered behind a very, _very_ large tombstone.

Tomorrow may be my last day on this earth.

But bear in mind, nothing is ever definite.

Every action made is like a river that branches off into separate paths. Soon I must duel Yuugi, with the victor determining which path down the river I will take.

One route will lead me straight to the afterlife, of which I have been denied for thousands of years, and the other will continue to confine me in Yuugi's body.

Truth be told, it's a death either way. But the question is, will I be the one to "drown" myself or will my aibou be the one to "do the honors" for me…?

Don't misunderstand me, I care for Yuugi and my friends deeply, but I don't belong in this world anymore. Nor do I belong in Yuugi's body.

Sharing one is not easy.

To be bound by the restrictions associated with such an unusual circumstance- no privacy, secrets or complete free will- that is not living.

I have become restless in Yuugi's body, and I think he realizes it too. I feel he understands that to continue my confinement with him, it's not really much of an existence at all.

On the other side of the spectrum, should Yuugi manage to defeat me in the ceremonial duel, then I will be swept away in the afterlife at last.

But as I have said, I am still a dead man walking, regardless of the outcome.

The truth?

I don't believe an afterlife exists. I have been held prisoner in the Sennen puzzle for many millennia, swallowed in darkness, and I believe my departure will be strikingly similar.

This doesn't concern me though- _yet_.

My aibou must defeat me first.

Only then will the gateways to my unknown future open.

And the very thought that Yuugi could beat me at my own game…

Well. Let's just say I've seen higher chances.

Such as winning the lottery.

Not longer than an hour ago, I had an interesting conversation with Malik. Seems to me that my possible departure had made him more cheerful. Or at least, he can have a talk with me without a death threat involved.

We were on a ship- my friends and myself included- sailing purposefully towards my awaiting tomb. I was out on deck, preferring the fresh ocean air to the stifling confinement of a cramped room. Yuugi was hidden far away in his soul room, undoubtedly fussing over his duel deck in preparation for our battle.

So that left me alone, swimming in my thoughts and basking in a much appreciated solitude.

I closed my eyes, soothed by the fine mist that sprayed over my face and the gentle rocking of the ship, until-

"So, 'Pharaoh,' you ready for tomorrow?"

My eyes opened, recognizing Malik's sardonic voice immediately. I can't help but notice that whenever he says 'Pharaoh,' there is just a _dash_ of spite in his tone.

I turned to face the Egyptian teen. "Of course. Do you have a prediction?"

"_That_ would be Isis's job." Malik's feline eyes danced with amusement as he cocked his head, speculating.

Arrogant teenager.

Surely _I_ would never be so rude to my superiors…

That is, if I ever had one.

I disregarded my previous thought as I smirked instead. "So tell me, Malik. Why is this duel with Yuugi necessary? It would be a lot easier if we just return the Sennen items and be done with it. After all, my defeat is _certainly_ no guarantee. Perhaps we are just wasting our time here."

An incredulous chuckle emerged from Malik. "In other words, you think that there isn't a chance in hell that Yuugi can defeat you."

Is it that obvious? "Well- yes."

"This isn't a test to see if Yuugi's ready, 'Pharaoh,'" Malik mockingly chastised, "This is to see if _you_ are."

I paused, only a moment, as I blinked back my surprise. "Ready? Of course _I_ am. Wouldn't you agree waiting around for thousands of years is long enough?"

Malik's kohl-rimmed eyes scanned me, calculating. Unlike Yuugi's amethyst eyes, which were kind and gentle, this pair of eyes was piercing. As if he were _searching_ for a flaw, or any sort of imperfection.

Good luck finding one with me.

"I think the real question is, will you _allow_ someone to beat you? Not just anyone, your _partner_, who I know you feel is your weaker half."

Malik swiftly cut me off when I opened my mouth in protest. "Sugarcoating the truth will get you nowhere, '_Pharaoh_.' So ask yourself this: _are_ you ready to relinquish your throne as the King of Games?"

I really despised how the teen threw around my title as an insult. If it weren't for my unfaltering composure I would have smacked him across the face months ago.

But I graced him with a smile instead. "Are you suggesting I should let Yuugi win without a fight?"

Malik scoffed at this, shaking his head. "Your time in this world is not over until you have truly lost, after giving your best. The final condition to this is that you have to completely accept defeat. It may be easy for you to win, but what about losing…?"

Malik shot me a meaningful look before he turned to go. "And by the way…arrogance is like a poison that can corrupt your mind. Soon you'll put yourself on such a high pedestal that you will eventually forget how to get back down."

A cryptic smile quirked the corners of Malik's mouth before he began to walk away. "Until tomorrow, 'Pharaoh.'"

I watched him leave with a tinge of annoyance.

Yes, I should have definitely smacked him.

He should consider eating his own words…the pompous hypocrite.

Clearly he misinterpreted my confidence for arrogance. I only believe I will win tomorrow because I have the certainty to back up my abilities. And did Yuugi have that?

Most likely not.

How many times has he relied on _me_ to finish off a duel when things became too complicated? I was always there to 'clean up' the mess, make everything better.

…………..

Perhaps there is some truth in what Malik said.

And thus, my star attribute became my strongest vice.

Presently, I am still pondering Malik's words and occasionally admiring the breathtaking scenery surrounding the ship. I am getting closer and closer to my destination, as myriads of palm trees and landmarks grow larger with each passing second.

Despite Egypt's natural beauty, I am sure my home back in ancient times was much more endearing. Before the corruption of the modern world, before the creation of the Sennen items-

"Mou hitori no boku."

I glance up, breaking out of my reverie. Yuugi is standing beside me, his spirit form contrasting with the dark of the night.

His face looks troubled. I can tell by the way his forehead creases and the subtle frown that forms on his lips whenever in deep thought.

"What's the matter, Aibou?" I watch as Yuugi turns to face the ocean instead of looking at me.

"About tomorrow-"

"What, worried already? If I were you, _I_ would be excited…you might have a body all to yourself by tomorrow night!" I tease as I offer my other half a lighthearted smile.

"Don't joke around like that! This isn't funny…not even close. I don't want you to go," Yuugi asserts as his grip on the deck's railing tightens.

But I feign ignorance as I give a rather stiff shrug of the shoulders. "So then lose."

Yuugi flinches before he glances at me with a hurt expression. "That's not how it's supposed to work, and you know it." After examining my stoic expression, Yuugi finally wheels over to face me directly. "Do you _want_ to leave?"

I can't explain why, but for some twisted reason I find Yuugi's question funny. "Say, Aibou, let's just focus on having you defeat me first, all right? I won't go easy on you tomorrow- that I can promise."

Yuugi looks as if I had just tried to shove him off the ship.

"You don't think I can do it, do you?" he finally whispers in disbelief. His eyes, always the window to his soul, waver in sadness. Primarily hurt.

Honestly no, I _don't_ think Yuugi stands much of a chance against me. But I would _never_ tell him that…

"Aibou, don't be absurd. I have all the faith in you in the world. Just believe in yourself-"

"_Stop it_!" Yuugi yells, interrupting me. "I don't want to hear your lies. Just admit it- you don't think _anyone _can defeat you, isn't that right?"

I vaguely remember Malik pointing out my penchant towards "sugarcoating the truth."

"Now listen Aibou, I would never-"

"Mou hitori no boku- no, _Atem_," Yuugi enunciates, correcting himself. Suddenly his face smoothes over into a mask, gathering his composure. His eyes are now shining with resolution. "I will _not_ go easy on you either. Tomorrow I'll fight my hardest- not because I want you to leave but because it's what's right. I don't care what you think…don't underestimate me."

Yuugi's determined eyes meet up with mine for a fleeting moment before he retreats back into his soul room.

And then all falls silent, except for the occasional moaning of the wind.

An inexplicable smile sketches on my lips.

Silly Aibou.

Although it may be true he has become considerably stronger since the day I first met him, I still don't believe he stands much of a chance.

It is not yet time for the pupil to surpass the master.

Again, I will admit that Malik said something right- I may not be ready to surrender my 'Game King' title.

At least not just yet.

I want to _always_ be the best.

And so, knowing that I will be the one to emerge from the duel victorious tomorrow, I look about my surroundings with a sense of yearning.

It appears I won't be returning to my old home in Egypt after all. Who knows how long it'll be when I can finally reunite with my awaiting friends in the afterlife.

Seeing no purpose in lingering any longer, I allow Yuugi control over his body once more.

I'll give him the chance to continue arranging and rearranging his deck while I rest peacefully in the depths of my puzzle.

Let Aibou fret over the outcome of our duel.

I however, will not.

I already know.

I _always_ know.


End file.
